Autonomous drone and tool selection and delivery

ABSTRACT

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to selecting tools and drones for completing a task. In some embodiments, the system comprises an autonomous vehicle configured to transport the tools and the drones including a plurality of sensors configured to detect properties of the tools and the drones, the drones, the tools, and a control circuit configured to receive, from the sensors, indications of the properties of the tools and the drones, select, based on the service requests and the indications of the properties of the tools and the drones, at least one of the tools and at least one of the drones to perform at least one of the service requests, cause the at least one of the drones to be equipped with the at least one of the tools, and transmit instructions that are based on the at least one of the service requests.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application in Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser.No. 15/829,427, filed Dec. 1, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/428,619, filed Dec. 1, 2016, which areall incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to service drones and, morespecifically, autonomous delivery of drones.

BACKGROUND

As everyday life gets busier and busier for many people, automatedsolutions to everyday tasks can provide relief. For example, if everydaychores were completed by automated systems, people would have more timeto partake in activities that they enjoy. While some automated devicesexist (e.g., vacuum systems), these devices are extremely task-specificand thus provide little or no versatility. Consequently, a need existsfor more advanced systems that are capable of providing tools for, andadapting to, a large variety of tasks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems, apparatuses and methodspertaining selecting tools and drones for completing a task. Thisdescription includes drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a portion of an autonomous vehicle 110 transportingdrones and tools, according to some embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system 200 for autonomously deliveringdrones and tools 216, according to some embodiments; and

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram including example operations for autonomouslydelivering drones and tools, according to some embodiments.

Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity andhave not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensionsand/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures maybe exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improveunderstanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also,common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in acommercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order tofacilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of thepresent invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described ordepicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in theart will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence isnot actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have theordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressionsby persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above exceptwhere different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally speaking, pursuant to various embodiments, systems,apparatuses, and methods are provided herein useful to selecting toolsand drones for completing a task. In some embodiments, the systemcomprises an autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle isconfigured to transport the tools and the drones to a location, andwherein the autonomous vehicle includes a plurality of sensorsconfigured to detect properties of the tools and the drones, the drones,the tools, and a control circuit, the control circuit configured toreceive, from the sensors, indications of the properties of the toolsand the drones, select, based on the service requests and theindications of the properties of the tools and the drones, at least oneof the tools and at least one of the drones to perform at least one ofthe service requests, cause the at least one of the drones to beequipped with the at least one of the tools, and transmit instructionsto the at least one of the drones, wherein the instructions are based onthe at least one of the service requests.

As previously discussed, the currently available automated devices thatperform tasks in and around a person's home, office, business, etc. arequite limited. Additionally, the existing automated devices perform onlya single task. For example, while an automated vacuum may aid a personin maintaining the cleanliness of carpet in his or her home, theautomated vacuum cannot easily perform any other tasks, such as mowingthe person's lawn, trimming his or her hedges, etc. Consequently, a needexists for a system that can autonomously perform a wide variety oftasks in and around a person's home, office, and/or business.

Embodiments of the systems, methods, and apparatuses described hereinseek to provide more useful autonomous systems for performing tasks byautonomously providing a variety of drones and tools that can be usedand operated by the drones. The system receives service requests andselects drones and tools based on the service requests. The servicerequest can be for any type of task around a person's property, such aslawn care, monitoring, cleaning, painting, maintenance, etc. Forexample, if the service request is to mow a lawn, the system will selecta drone that is appropriate for mowing the lawn (e.g., a drone with theability to traverse grassy surfaces) as well as a tool appropriate formowing a lawn (e.g., a blade tool that can be affixed to the selecteddrone). Additionally, the system can assess properties associated withthe tools and the drones (e.g., the condition, power availability, etc.)and include these properties when selecting drones and tools to performthe service request (i.e., tasks associated with the service request).The discussion of FIG. 1 provides and overview of such a system.

FIG. 1 depicts a portion of an autonomous vehicle 110 transportingdrones and tools 112, according to some embodiments. The autonomousvehicle 110 can be any type of vehicle (e.g., a land-based, aerial, oraquatic vehicle) suitable for carrying the drones and the tools 112. Theautonomous vehicle 110 depicted in FIG. 1 includes a flat surface ortrailer for transporting the drones. The drones can include any suitabletype of drone, such as land-based drones 104, aerial drones 108, andaquatic drones. In addition to transporting the drones, the autonomousvehicle 110 also transports the tools 112. For example, the autonomousvehicle 110 can transport the tools 112 in a cabinet 102, or othersuitable compartment or container. The drones are configured to beequipped with the tools 112. For example, one of the aerial drones 108can be equipped with a painting tool. So equipped, the one of the aerialdrones 108 can apply paint to a surface, such as a house. In addition totransporting the drones and tools 112, the autonomous vehicle 100 canalso manage, diagnose problems with, and maintain the drones, tools 112,and service requests.

The autonomous vehicle 110 also includes a plurality of sensors (e.g.,cabinet-mounted sensors 114). The sensors are configured to detectproperties of the tools 112 and the drones. For example, the propertiesof the tools 112 and the drones can include availability of the tools112, condition of the tools 112, type of the tools 112, compatibility ofthe tools 112 with one or more of the drones, compatibility of the tools112 with customer instructions, compatibility of the tools 112 withexternal conditions, availability of the drones, condition of thedrones, type of the drones, compatibility of the drones with one or moreof the tools 112, compatibility of the drones with customerinstructions, compatibility of the drones with external conditions,power level of the drones, conditions of the service, etc. The sensorscan include optical sensors, auditory sensors, motion sensors, hapticsensors, weight sensors, temperature sensors, material sensors, etc. Thesensors can be located on the autonomous vehicle 110, on the drones,and/or on the tools 112. For example, a weight sensor located in thecabinet 102 can be used to determine if a tool is present, a voltmetercan be located on one of the drones to determine a power level of thedrone, etc.

In some embodiments, the tools 112 are modular. For example, each dronemay have a common attachment type that allows attachments of any of thetools 112 to any of the drones. Alternatively, there may be a smallnumber of attachment types (e.g., three different attachment types). Insuch embodiments the tools 112 may be modular, but only capable of beingconnected to the correct attachment type.

The drones and the tools 112 are determined based on the servicerequests and indications of the properties of the tools 112 and thedrones. For example, a service request may include two tasks: a firsttask to trim the hedges and a second task to wash the windows. Anappropriate drone and an appropriate tool will be selected for eachtask, taking into consideration the properties of the tools 112 and thedrones. For example, both of the land-based drones 104 may be suitablefor trimming the hedges. However, only one of the two land-based drones104 has sufficient power reserves to complete the task. Consequently,that land-based drone 104 will be selected. This assessment can furtherbe based on external information. For example, if it is known that theperson's house is quite large and includes extensive hedging, the systemcan calculate how much power is required to complete the entire task. Inselecting the appropriate tool, the system can also consider in theindications of the properties of the tools 112. For example, if fourhedge trimmer tools 112 are available, but only two are compatible withthe selected drone, then one of those two will be selected. Further, ifone of those two is dull, the system will select the sharper of the twoto be used. The system can repeat this process and select an appropriatedrone for the window washing task, possibly one of the aerial drones108, and an appropriate tool for the window washing task, possibly asqueegee-type tool.

After selecting the drone and the tool, the system causes the drone tobe equipped with the tool. Continuing the example above, the systemcauses the one of the land-based drones 104 with sufficient powerreserves with the hedge trimmer tool that is both compatible with theselected drone and sharp. In some embodiments, the system can selectmultiple drones and multiple tools 112 for a single task. For example,the system can select two drones to cooperatively use a single tool, twodrones to use separate tools 112 to cooperatively complete a task, etc.

After selecting the drones and the tools 112, the system provides thedrones with instructions to complete the service request. In someembodiments, the system monitors the drones' progress as the dronescomplete the service requests. For example, the system can monitor theproperties of the tools 112 and the drones, customer feedback,environmental conditions, etc. while the drones complete the servicetasks. If a change occurs, the system can react by modifying theinstructions, selecting new drones, and/or selecting new tools 112.

While the discussion of FIG. 1 provides an overview of a system forselecting drones and tools for completing a task, the discussion of FIG.2 provides greater detail about such a system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system 200 for autonomously deliveringdrones and tools 216, according to some embodiments. The system includesa control circuit 202, an autonomous vehicle 204, sensors 214, anddrones and tools 216. The control circuit 202 can comprise afixed-purpose hard-wired hardware platform (including but not limited toan application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) (which is anintegrated circuit that is customized by design for a particular use,rather than intended for general-purpose use), a field-programmable gatearray (FPGA), and the like) or can comprise a partially orwholly-programmable hardware platform (including but not limited tomicrocontrollers, microprocessors, and the like). These architecturaloptions for such structures are well known and understood in the art andrequire no further description here. The control circuit 202 isconfigured (for example, by using corresponding programming as will bewell understood by those skilled in the art) to carry out one or more ofthe steps, actions, and/or functions described herein.

By one optional approach the control circuit 202 operably couples to amemory. The memory may be integral to the control circuit 202 or can bephysically discrete (in whole or in part) from the control circuit 202as desired. This memory can also be local with respect to the controlcircuit 202 (where, for example, both share a common circuit board,chassis, power supply, and/or housing) or can be partially or whollyremote with respect to the control circuit 202 (where, for example, thememory is physically located in another facility, metropolitan area, oreven country as compared to the control circuit 202).

This memory can serve, for example, to non-transitorily store thecomputer instructions that, when executed by the control circuit 202,cause the control circuit 202 to behave as described herein. As usedherein, this reference to “non-transitorily” will be understood to referto a non-ephemeral state for the stored contents (and hence excludeswhen the stored contents merely constitute signals or waves) rather thanvolatility of the storage media itself and hence includes bothnon-volatile memory (such as read-only memory (ROM) as well as volatilememory (such as an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM).

The control circuit 202 includes a drone and tool determination unit 208and a transceiver 212. The drone and tool determination unit 208 selectsdrones and tools. The drone and tool determination unit selects thedrones and the tools based on service requests and indications ofproperties of the drones and the tools. The control circuit 202 receivesthe indications of the properties of the drones and the tools from thesensors 214 via the transceiver 212. The sensors 214 can be any suitabletype of sensor, such as optical sensors, auditory sensors, motionsensors, haptic sensors, weight sensors, temperature sensors, etc. Thesensors 214 can be located on the autonomous vehicle 204 and/or thedrones and tools 216. The properties of the tools and the drones caninclude availability of the tools, condition of the tools, type of thetools, compatibility of the tools with one or more of the drones,compatibility of the tools with customer instructions, compatibility ofthe tools with external conditions, availability of the drones,condition of the drones, type of the drones, compatibility of the droneswith one or more of the tools, compatibility of the drones with customerinstructions, compatibility of the drones with external conditions,power level of the drones, etc. After selecting the drones and the toolsto complete the service request (i.e., tasks associated with the servicerequest), the control circuit 202 transmits instructions to the selecteddrones via the transceiver 212. The instructions are based on theservice requests. For example, the instructions can include locations ofthe task to be located, special instructions for the tasks, parametersfor the tasks, modifications based on external conditions, etc.

The control circuit 202 can be located on the autonomous vehicle 204 orremotely from the autonomous vehicle 204. In embodiments where thecontrol circuit 202 is located remotely from the autonomous vehicle 204,the control circuit 202 may be associated with multiple autonomousvehicles 204. That is, the control circuit 202 may select drones andtools located on the multiple autonomous vehicles 204. For example, thecontrol circuit can perform such actions for a first group of servicerequests for a first autonomous vehicle 204 in a first location as wellas for a second group of service requests for a second autonomousvehicle 204 in a second location.

In some embodiments, the system 200 also includes a remote serve 218,such as a weather server (e.g., to provide weather information for theareas in which the drones and tools are to be used) or a customerinformation server (e.g., to provide customer profile information, suchas an addresses, preferences, etc.). The remote server 218 providesexternal information to the control circuit 202 via the transceiver 212.In embodiments in which the system 200 includes the remote server 218,the drone and tool termination unit 208 can take into accountinformation received from the remote server 218 when selecting dronesand tools.

While the discussion of FIG. 2 provides additional information about asystem for selecting drones and tools for completing a task, thediscussion of FIG. 3 describes example operations for selecting dronesand tools for completing a task.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram including example operations for autonomouslydelivering drones and tools, according to some embodiments. The flowbegins at block 302.

At block 302, service requests are received. For example, a controlcircuit can receive the service requests. The service requests includeinformation about tasks to perform. The service request can include alocation of a task to perform (e.g., a person's home, office, workplace,etc.), a task to perform (e.g., painting, cleaning, maintenance work,etc.), a time to complete the task, as well as any special instructionsfor completing the task (e.g., information required to gain access tothe property). The control circuit can be local to an autonomous vehicletransporting drones and tools for completing tasks. In such embodiments,the service requests can be routed to the autonomous vehicle based onthe location of the autonomous vehicle, a proposed schedule for theautonomous vehicle, the drones and/or tools transported by theautonomous vehicle, the condition of the drones and/or tools transportedby the autonomous vehicle, etc. In other embodiments, the controlcircuit is remote from the autonomous vehicle. In such embodiments, thecontrol circuit may receive service requests that will be completed bydrones and tools associated with multiple autonomous vehicles. The flowcontinues at block 304.

At block 304, the tools and the drones and the tools are transported toa location. For example, the autonomous vehicle can transport the dronesand the tools to the location. The location is based one or more servicerequests. For example, the location could a home at which tasksassociated with a service request are to be completed. Additionally, oralternatively, the location could be a selected spot from which multipledrones and tools will be dispatched to completed tasks associated withmultiple service requests (e.g., a location that is central to addressesassociated with numerous service requests). The flow continues at block306.

At block 306, indications of properties of the drones and the tools arereceived. For example, the control circuit can receive indications ofthe properties of the drones and the tools from sensors. The propertiesof the tools and the drones can include availability of the tools,condition of the tools, type of the tools, compatibility of the toolswith one or more of the drones, compatibility of the tools with customerinstructions, compatibility of the tools with external conditions,availability of the drones, condition of the drones, type of the drones,compatibility of the drones with one or more of the tools, compatibilityof the drones with customer instructions, compatibility of the droneswith external conditions, power level of the drones, etc. Additionally,in some embodiments, the properties of the tools can includerestrictions on the usage of the tools and/or the drones. For example,certain ones of the drones may not be permitted to use ones of thetools, or certain tools may be restricted from use on certain projects.The flow continues at block 308.

At block 308, drones and tools are selected. For example, the controlcircuit can select the drones and the tools. The control circuit selectsdrones and tools that are suitable (i.e., appropriate from completingtasks associated with the service request). For example, the controlcircuit can select the drones and the tools based on the servicerequests and the indications of the properties of the tools and thedrones. Additionally, the control circuit can select the drones and thetools based on weather, time of day, environmental conditions (a rockyor wet area), proximity of objects (e.g., how close a house is to atree), and customer instructions, etc. In some embodiments, the droneand/or the tool are selected based on prioritization and/or optimizationof the tasks, tools, and drones. For example, the choice between two ormore similar options can be further refined through criteria. Thecriteria can be related to conditions, scheduling (e.g., anticipatedavailability of tools and/or drones), priority, a measure of suitabilityfor the tasks (e.g., a small shovel tool is more suitable for plantingflowers than a large shovel tool), etc. Further, in some embodiments, anindication can be transmitted if a suitable drone and/or tool cannot beselected. For example, the notification can be transmitted to thecustomer, a central sever, etc. Based on this notification, performanceof the tasks can be rescheduled or delayed, additional resources can berequested, etc. The flow continuous at block 310.

A block 310, the drone is caused to be equipped with the tool. Forexample, the control circuit can cause the drone to be equipped with thetool. The drone can be caused to be equipped with the tool by causingthe tool to be placed at a retrieval point, causing the tool to bephysically affixed or connected to the drone, and/or assigning the toolto the drone. The tools can be affixed or connected to the dronesmagnetically, mechanically, etc. The drones and tools can be modular sothat each tool is compatible with a wide variety of drones.Additionally, in some embodiments, two or more drones can be equippedwith a single tool and work cooperatively to operate the tool. In suchembodiments, the two or more drones can operate with a “master/slave”relationship in which one or more of the drones control the operation ofone or more other drones with which they are operating cooperatively.Additionally, the drones can use blockchain as a secure mechanism forfacilitating work between the two or more drones. The flow continues atblock 312.

At block 312, instructions are transmitted to the drone. For example,the control circuit transmit the instructions to the drone. Theinstructions are based on the service requests. For example, theinstructions can include locations of the task to be located, specialinstructions for the tasks, parameters for the tasks, modificationsbased on external conditions, etc. In some embodiments, the controlcircuit can monitor the drones and/or the tools while the drones arecompleting tasks based on the service requests. Additionally, in someembodiments, people (i.e., customers) can monitors the drones' progressas well and provide feedback. In such embodiments, the control circuitcan update and provide new instructions to the drones based on a changein conditions, such as the weather, customer feedback, an additionaltask to be performed, etc. In addition to transmitting the instructionsto the drone, in some embodiments, the control circuit can transmit theinstructions to a central server, the tools, and/or the customer.Further, if the instructions are updated (e.g., based on updates aremote server or the customer), the control circuit can transmitupdating instructions to the drones.

In some embodiments, the drones, after using the tools, return the toolsto the autonomous vehicle. For example, a drone can be unequipped withthe tool and the tool can be returned to the autonomous vehicle.Additionally, the drones can clean the tools before returning the toolsto the autonomous vehicle. As one example, the drones can return thetools to a cabinet on the autonomous vehicle after the drone cleans thetools.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of othermodifications, alterations, and combinations can also be made withrespect to the above described embodiments without departing from thescope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, andcombinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventiveconcept.

In some embodiments, the system comprises an autonomous vehicle, whereinthe autonomous vehicle is configured to transport the tools and thedrones to a location, and wherein the autonomous vehicle includes aplurality of sensors configured to detect properties of the tools andthe drones, the drones, the tools, and a control circuit, the controlcircuit configured to receive, from the sensors, indications of theproperties of the tools and the drones, select, based on the servicerequests and the indications of the properties of the tools and thedrones, at least one of the tools and at least one of the drones toperform at least one of the service requests, cause the at least one ofthe drones to be equipped with the at least one of the tools, andtransmit instructions to the at least one of the drones, wherein theinstructions are based on the at least one of the service requests.

In some embodiments, an apparatus and a corresponding method performedby the apparatus, comprises receiving service requests, transporting,via an autonomous vehicle, the tools and the drones to a locationassociated with at least one of the service requests, receiving, from aplurality of sensors associated with the autonomous vehicle, indicationsof properties of the tools and the drones, selecting, based on the atleast one of the service requests and the indications of the propertiesof the tools and the drones, at least one of the tools and one of thedrones to perform the at least one of the service requests, causing theat least one of the drones to be equipped with the at least one of thetools, and transmitting instructions to the at least one of the drones,wherein the instructions are based on the at least one of the servicerequests.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for selecting tools and drones forcompleting a task, the system comprising: a plurality of sensorsconfigured to detect properties of a plurality of tools and a pluralityof drones; the plurality of drones; the plurality of tools; and acontrol circuit, the control circuit configured to: receive servicerequests; receive, from the sensors, indications of the properties ofthe plurality of tools and the plurality of drones; select, based on theservice requests and the indications of the properties of the pluralityof tools and the plurality of drones, at least one of the plurality oftools and at least one of the plurality of drones to perform at leastone of the service requests; cause the at least one of the plurality ofdrones to be equipped with the at least one of the plurality of tools;and transmit instructions to the at least one of the plurality ofdrones, wherein the instructions are based on the at least one of theservice requests.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: anautonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle is configured totransport the plurality of tools and the plurality of drones.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors is located on theautonomous vehicle.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controlcircuit is further configured to: monitor, as the at least one of theplurality of drones performs the at least one of the service requests,properties of the at least one of the plurality of drones and propertiesof the at least one of the plurality of tools.
 5. The system of claim 4,wherein the control circuit is further configured to: determine that achange has occurred with respect to one or more of the properties of theat least one of the plurality of drones and the at least one of theplurality of tools; and select, based on the change, at least one of anew drone and a new tool.
 6. The system of claim of claim 1, wherein theproperties of the plurality of tools include one or more of availabilityof the tools, condition of the tools, type of the tools, compatibilityof the tools with one or more of the drones, compatibility of the toolswith customer instructions, and compatibility of the tools with externalconditions.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the properties of theplurality of drones include one or more of availability of the drones,conditions of the drones, types of the drones, compatibility of thedrones with one or more of the tools, compatibility of the drones withcustomer instructions, compatibility of the drones with externalconditions, and power levels of the drones.
 8. The system of claim 1,wherein the selection of the at least one of the plurality of drones andthe at least one of the plurality of tools is further based on externalconditions.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the external conditionsare one or more of weather, time of day, environmental conditions,proximity of objects, and customer instructions.
 10. The system of claim1, wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more of opticalsensors, auditory sensors, motion sensors, haptic sensors, weightsensors, and temperature sensors.
 11. A method for selecting tolls anddrones for completing a task, the method comprising: receiving servicerequests; receiving, from a plurality of sensors, indications ofproperties of the tools and the drones; selecting, based on at least oneof the service requests and the indications of the properties of thetools and the drones, at least one of the tools and at least one of thedrones to perform the at least one of the service requests; causing theat least one of the drones to be equipped with the at least one of thetools; and transmitting instructions to the at least one of the drones,wherein the instructions are based on the at least one of the servicerequests.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: transporting,via an autonomous vehicle, the tools and the drones to a locationassociated with the at least one of the service requests.
 13. The methodof claim 12, wherein the plurality of sensors are associated with theautonomous vehicle.
 14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:monitoring, as the at least one of the drones performs the at least oneof the service requests, properties of the at least one of the dronesand the properties of the at least one of the tools.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, further comprising: determining that a change has occurs withrespect to one or more of the properties of the at least one of thedrones and the at least one of the tools; and selecting, based on thechange, at least one of a new drone and a new tool.
 16. The method ofclaim 11, wherein the properties of the tools include one or more ofavailability of the tools, condition of the tools, type of the tools,compatibility of the tools with one or more of the drones, compatibilityof the tools with the customer instructions, and compatibility of thetools with external conditions.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein theproperties of the drones include one or more of availability of thedrones, conditions of the drones, types of the drones, compatibility ofthe drones with one or more of the tools, compatibility of the droneswith customer instructions, compatibility of the drones with externalconditions, and power levels of the drones.
 18. The method of claim 11,wherein the selection of the at least one of the drones and the at leastone of the tools is further based on external conditions.
 19. The methodof claim 18, wherein the external conditions are one or more of weather,time of day, environmental conditions, proximity of objects, andcustomer instructions.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein the pluralityof sensors includes one or more of optical sensors, auditory sensors,motion sensors, haptic sensors, weight sensors, and temperature sensors.